Method and device for mass production of castings and products obtained by such methods



31,1961 P. HOKKELING ET AL 3,006,045

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MASS PRODUCTION OF CASTINGS AND PRODUCTS OBTAINED BY SUCH METHODS Filed Aug. 20, 1958 FIG} INVENTOR5 PIETER HOKKELING ADOLI= JOHANNUS JACOBUS KOCH B Y JAM AGEN United Smtes Patent if- Patented Oct. 31, 1961 METHOD AND DEVECE FOR MASS PRODUCTIQN F CASTINGS AND PRODUCTS OBTAINED BY SUCH METHODS Pieter l-lokkeling and Adolf Johannus Jacobus Koch, Eindhoven, Netherlands, assignors to North American Philips Company, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 756,111 3 Claims. (Cl. 22-134) This invention relates to methods and devices for the mass production of castings and to products obtained by such methods.

More particularly for mass production of small components parts, such as magnets, in certain cases use is made of a method in which a stack of casting boxes or moulds is built up, which may each be designed for casting a plurality of objects, the stack being filled from above.

The present invention relates to this so-called stackcasting.

An object of the invention is to provide a method and a device which permit rapid mass production of castings in a simple manner with the use of the stack-casting process.

According to the invention, several stacks are built up and each stack is placed on a movable support for this stack, the stacks through movement of their individual supports then being moved against a distribution member, common to all stacks, which fills the stacks in common.

The invention underlies the following recognition.

When building up stacks each comprising the same number of casting boxes or moulds, the heights of the stacks are found never to be equal in practice. If a memher for supplying casting material in common to all stacks were then arranged on a plurality of these stacks, this material would flow away through gaps which unavoidably occur between the supply member and a plurality of the stacks of different heights.

Now, the invention permits the utilization of such a common supply member and hence filling a large number of stacks of moulds simultaneously, even though the stacks are of difierent heights.

By means of the invention, it is possible to move all upper surfaces of the stacks into one plane, that is to say against the underside of a fixedly-arranged common supply member for the casting material.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, one embodiment will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-view and partly a cross-section of a device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of part of a stack of moulds.

FIG. 1 shows six stacks of casting moulds 1 to 6. They may be built up (merely by way of example) from moulds 7 (FIG. 2) of some refractory material or other, in which spaces 8 for the objects to be manufactured are present which communicate with a supply aperture 9. If desired, it is possible to interpose intermediate rings 10 between the moulds 7, which each have a sleeve 12 of refractory material round the aperture of passage 11.

The rings 10 are not shown in FIG. 1 and not absolutely necessary.

Each of the stacks 1 to 6 in FIG. 1 bears on a support 13 Which, together with a protective cap 14, is secured to a piston rod 15 of a piston adapted to move in a cylinder 16. The cylinders 16 lie on a base 17 and are connected, at 18, to pipe lines leading to three-way taps 19, which are connected via lines 20 to a collecting line 21 for a working medium, such as compressed air. The caps 14 and the supports 13 are guided in a plate 22 arranged between columns 23 connected to the base 17.

Secured to the top of the columns 23 is a plate 25 provided with apertures 26 which are lined with refactory sleeves 27 each surrounded by a refractory ring 28.

A supply member (distribution box) 29, 30, which is made of two parts, is fixed to the plate 25, for example, by means of a resilient member 31, which is hinged at 32 on a lever 34, which can pivot at the fixed point 33, and which grips round lugs 35 on the part 30 of the distribution box.

The distribution box 29, 30 has an inlet to a distribution channel 36 and channels 37 leading to the apertures 26 of plate 25.

Even if the stacks of moulds 1 to 6 are of different heights all of them, bearing on their support 13, may be urged at the same pressure against the plate 25 by operating the taps 19.

It will be evident that the device is not limited to the use of six stacks of casting moulds.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing a plurality of castings comprising a plurality of molds assembled into a plurality of stacks in which each mold in the stack is separated from successive molds in a stack and a common supply duct in the stack to each mold is provided, a common supply duct for supplying a quantity of casting material to each stack which is then distributed to each mold in the stack, a supporting member at the base of each stack, a member common to all the stacks at the head thereof provided with ducts connecting said common supply duct with each stack, and a fluid operated piston for urging each supporting member and each stack independently of the others against the common member at the head of the stacks.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the piston moves in a cylinder into which the fluid is introduced by valve means from a common supply means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the molds are separated from each other by a sleeve of refractory material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 521,453 Adams June 19, 1894 539,209 Adams May 14, 1895 591,151 Adams Oct. 5, 1897 1,358,435 Frank Nov. 9, 1920 1,781,098 Broderick et al. Nov. 11, 1930 1,875,285 Wallace et al Aug. 30, 1932 2,418,649 Levinson Apr. 8, 1947 2,515,654 Kaline July 18, 1950 2,617,509 Britton Nov. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Ncna 3 006 045 October 31 l96l Pieter Hokkeling et al0 It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below In the heading to the printed specification between lines, 9 and 10, insert thefollowing:

Claims priority application Netherlands Augo 23 195? column 2 line 25 for "support" read supports ""a Signed aseale d thi's5th JIIH'G' 19-620 (SEAL)- Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID-L LADD Attesting Officer I Commissioner of Patents 

